Opus Mariae Mediatricis is a
new
apostolate whose objective is
to spread the kingdom of Our Lord Jesus Christ through true devotion to the
Blessed Virgin Mary. Its special patrons are: Our Lady Mediatrix of Grace, St.
Philip Neri, St. Louis DeMontfort and St. Maximilian Kolbe. The apostolate also
has a special devotion to Our Lady under the title of Mater Unitatis, given the
overriding ecumenical tone of the apostolate which is "to represent and offer a
visible bond to those Catholic faithful, lay, religious and clergy" (statute
1.1), "who consider themselves attached to some previous liturgical and
disciplinary forms of the Latin tradition (c.f., Apostolic Letter Ecclesia Dei,
2 July, 1988)" (statute 1.1). It was first established in the summer of 1995,
by Fr. William F. Ashley. Opus Mariae Mediatricis is currently a private
association of the faithful, comprised of both lay and clerical members,
established in accordance with Canons 215 & 299, a status that has been
acknowledged by the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei.